Bring Me The Horizon - Live Review

BRING ME THE HORIZON / BIRMINGHAM UTILITA ARENA / 25.09.2021

Did video kill the radio star, or did the arena show? 

 If Nova Twins play in a fairly empty arena, did the Nova Twins really play? I could carry on but the point we are making is that on 25th September 2021 our live music experience was soured not by the bands playing but by an arenas inability to get a crowd into a venue in a timely and prompt manner. 

 With doors opening at 5:30, and first support act Nova Twins coming on at 7:00 it would be interesting to know exactly how many fans got to see that performance because HUSH were still in the queue to pick up our photo pass and review tickets…. 

 And the same happened for most of You Me At Six, with us finally entering the building for the tail end of their set. At this point there were still people in massive queues both waiting to collect tickets and get into the arena. If you’d payed £35 for a ticket, you’d be fuming! 

Even as the headliners were due to go on stage at 9:00, there were still a few audience members still queuing for the box office. 

How are support bands supposed to gain a new audience, if that audience is stuck outside of the venue? Is the arena show really worth the effort? Should you keep your money and enjoy bands in a smaller intimate setting? For HUSH the latter maybe the answer. 

Now the major issue with this whole rant is that Bring Me The Horizon, the nights headliners are a fucking arena band. They are made for the big stage and the big stage is made for them, they bring so much energy that they fill the stadium (literally selling out the Utilita Arena in Birmingham). BMTH aren’t lost on a big stage, they have grafted over the years to deserve their place in an arena. The next logical step for a band with BMTH’s current pulling power is to aim for stadium shows and up the ante, which isn’t bad for some lads from Yorkshire. BMTH it could be argued are currently the biggest band in the UK, and they are certainly using their live shows to back up this statement. This isn’t a band who 15 years after their debut album are resting on their laurels and milking their past successes, it feels like BMTH are carrying on a path of growth and development, furthered with every project. The last 18 months have been shit for music, and with venues starting to open back up and welcome back bands, we need more bands like BMTH to put bums on seats and trying to commercialise rock because the system needs it, the bands need it and the fans need it! 

After the trials and tribulations of the crowded venue, the clueless staff and the venue BMTH in Birmingham was so fucking worth it. They have a look and a sound that is all their own, and having achieved such great success as a quite heavy rock band in the mainstream UK music industry is a feat not to be trifled with. The are a phenomenon! Thank you fate, thank you all-mighty Diety,  thank you to the kind strangers for helping us get in! But mostly thank you Bring Me The Horizon for an amazing night back out with live music.